This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. P 2001-32613, filed in Korea on Jun. 11, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flat display module-housing assembly, and more particularly, to a flat display module-housing assembly, in which the flat display module is fitted to a display housing of a display.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, display systems, such as notebook computers, monitors, and TV receivers, are equipped with display parts. For an example, as shown in FIG. 1, a notebook computer is provided with a body 10 having an input device and memory/operation devices therein, a display housing 30 rotatably mounted on the body 10, and a flat display panel 20 assembled in the display housing 30.
The flat display panel 20 assembled in the display housing 30 may be an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), PDP (Plasma Display Panel), FED (Field Emission Display), or the like. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a flat display panel 20 of FIG. 1 is provided with a flat display module 1 having a backlight part 1a for light emission and a liquid crystal panel part (or display part) 1b for displaying images upon reception of the light from the backlight part 1a, a frame 2 for holding the edges of the flat display module to maintain a required gap between the backlight part 1a and the liquid crystal panel part 1b, and a case part 3 having a front case 3a and a rear case 3b for assembling the display module and the frame 2 together. The liquid crystal panel displays images by utilizing molecular movements of liquid crystal in the liquid crystal panel part 1b. The flat display panel 20 cannot be used independently, and is used in an assembly with the display housing 30 of the display system.
Various structures are possible for this assembly. An assembly structure of the flat display panel 20 and the display housing 30 according to the related art is as follows. Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a flat display panel 20 is mounted on a rear housing 32 so that the sides of the flat display panel 20 are fixed to the corresponding sides of the rear housing 32. Then, a front housing 31 is fitted to the rear housing 32. Specifically, there are screw holes 20a and 32a in both sides of the flat display panel 20 and the rear housing 32, respectively, into which screws 40 are fastened, to mount the flat display panel 20 to the rear housing 32. Then, the front housing 31 is mounted on the rear housing 32.
Thus, in this assembly of the flat display panel and the display housing, the display module 1 is cased by the case 3 shown in FIG. 2, and subsequently cased by the display housing 30, as shown in FIG. 3B.
However, this assembly has the following disadvantages. The structure of the case 3 and the display housing 30 has a double casting structure and accordingly has undesirable redundancy. This redundant casing structure (or redundant box type structure) with the case 3 and the display housing 30 results in a large total thickness in the display housing 30. This is undesirable in view of the current trend of pursuing light weighted, thinner displays. Moreover, the fabrication of this double casing structure requires a longer fabrication time, and increases the product costs.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a flat display module-housing assembly that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a flat display module-housing assembly which can reduce the weight and thickness of a display system, improve workability, and reduce the production costs.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the display module-housing assembly according to one aspect of the present invention includes a flat display module for displaying images; a display housing having a front housing and a rear housing, the front housing being fitted to the front of the flat display module, and a rear housing being fitted to the rear of the flat display module; and a coupler for coupling the front housing to the rear housing to fix the flat display module directly between the front housing and the rear housing.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a kit for assembling a display module-housing assembly for a flat display module, the kit including a front housing part configured to be fitted to the front of the flat display module; a rear housing part configured to be fitted to the rear of the flat display module; and a coupling part configured to couple the front housing part to the rear housing part to fix the flat display module directly between the front housing part and the rear housing part.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.